Lightning at a glance
	Camp schedule: Sept. 11: Ice Sports Forum (Brandon, Fla.) Coach: John Tortorella (2nd season, 11-27-1-3) General manager: Rick Dudley (3rd season)

In the past four years, the Lightning have been a work in progress and a big-time project. And as a result, they've been perennial cellar-dwellers. They are 79-210-34-12 in that span. But this could be the year they turn their fortunes around. They're at least giving it a decent shot.

There are a great many new faces on the squad this season. General manager Rick Dudley went out and brought in some experience to aid what was the NHL's youngest group last year. Now captain Vincent Lecavalier will have a decent supporting cast to work with -- should he sign a contract before the start of the season.

Vinny's summer vacation: The center, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 entry draft, wasn't happy with the season he had last year -- he scored 23 goals and was a brutal minus-26. So Lecavalier moved to Boston for the summer to work out with fitness guru Mike Boyle, who also trains other NHLers such as Mike Grier, Shawn McEachern, Rick DiPietro and Don Sweeney.

A is for Andreychuk: Veteran scorer Dave Andreychuk, a member of the 500-goal club, is a key addition for the Lightning. He should help the team's power play, which was dismal last season at 12.5 percent (next to last in the league). The club also added veteran defenseman Grant Ledyard, who is as much an assistant coach as he is a player.

It's Tool Time: Injuries were the bane of Tim Taylor's existence while he was a member of the New York Rangers. Now, he's got a fresh start in the Sunshine State and will give a boost to the team in the defensive forward role. Taylor has a 59 percent faceoff win record, which will help improve the team that was rated in a tie for 27th last year (46.86).

Lightning 2001-02 preseason schedule
Date	Opponent	Time
Sat., Sept. 15	vs. Carolina at TECO Arena, Ft. Myers, Fla.	Canceled
Sun., Sept. 16	Carolina	Canceled
Tue., Sept. 18	vs. Ottawa at Halifax Metro Arena, Halifax, N.S.	6 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 19	vs. Columbus at War Memorial at Oncenter, Syracuse, N.Y.	7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 22	vs. Washington at Compaq Center, Houston	8:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 28	Florida	7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 29	at Florida	7:30 p.m.